Almost 1,500 Indian River youngsters get backpacks for new school year

SAM WOLFE/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS
Jesse Zermeno, founder and president of Operation Hope, laughs with volunteers as kids and their families line up to receive backpacks at the center on Saturday afternoon. Nearly 700 backpacks were available to students who might not be able to afford them for the upcoming school year.

SAM WOLFE/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS
Juan Gomez, 4, points out a backpack at Operation Hope Saturday morning during the center's annual backpack giveaway on Saturday afternoon. Nearly 700 donated backpacks were available for students who will be starting or returning to school. This marks the 14th year the center has given away school supplies. "I guess after 14 years, people are getting to know Operation Hope," said Jesse Zermeno, president and founder of the center. "This is tremendous, how many churches and businesses made this happen."

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Almost 1,500 kids will be heading back to school with new backpacks and school supplies, thanks to two nonprofits in Indian River County.

At the Gifford Youth Activity Center in Gifford, hundreds of families turned out early Saturday for one of the 800 backpacks that were prepared for the morning distribution.

Debbie Collins, a cast support manager for Disney's Vero Beach Resort, said the hotel donated 100 backpacks and boxes of supplies for the giveaway.

"We wanted to make sure every kid has a new backpack to start school," said Collins. "It's important for all of us to give back to Indian River County."

Freddie Woolfork from the Gifford Youth Activity Center said volunteers have been stuffing backpacks for days.

"At least we can make sure that the first day of school is a great day," said Woolfork. "It's very important to give our kids a good send-off."

Dawn Beatrice of Vero Beach brought her three children, ages 10, 9 and 4, to the 'Back to School' festivities and to get a new backpack.

"As a single mother, every little bit helps," said Beatrice, who also helped organize some last-minute donations. "I'm very appreciative."

At Operation Hope in Fellsmere, 660 backpacks were distributed Saturday afternoon, with families lining up as early as 8 a.m., founder and president Jesse Zermeno said.

"It's tremendous how many people came together to make this happen," said Zermeno. "Companies like Southern Fulfillment, IMS Partners, Chic-fil-A and the First Presbyterian Church in Vero Beach are the ones that made sure we had enough backpacks and supplies to give away."

Helping hand ut school supplies at Operation Hope was the Chick-fil-A cow, along with 100 other volunteers from churches, schools and businesses.

"We love being able to support our community," said Shanci Robinson, marketing director for Chick-fil-A at the Indian River County Mall. The restaurant served as a drop-off point for school supplies and collected seven huge boxes of donations. "We thought people would bring us a few pencils but most of them came with bags of supplies. It was fabulous."

Clearly delighted with his new backpack was 11-year-old Antonio Castillo of Fellsmere. Antonio picked a dark green book bag decorated with camouflage for his first day in the fourth grade at the Fellsmere Elementary.

"First, I thought I would get a dark blue backpack but then I saw the camouflage one," said Antonio. "It's really cool."

Volunteer Jannet Perry of Sebastian was helping to sort and stuff backpacks right up to the last minute. She said divine inspiration sent her to volunteer at the nonprofit organization and Zermeno put her right to work on the school supply project.